Interview : Mama Kin and The Magician’s Daughter
It must now seem inevitable that Danielle Caruana would grow up to become intensely musical. Perhaps known to some only as John Butler’s wife and philanthropic partner, Caruana was the youngest daughter of a “frustrated musician” who actively encouraged each of his six children to pursue music. Caruana was brought up learning classical piano and voice, and recalls that music became the “fabric of who were and are as a family…it punctuated everything.” This intimate bond not only shaped Caruana into the artist she is today – it is also what led her to add her brother Michael to the band. Of this, Caruana says, “Michael’s always been a huge force in my life. He’s got my back completely.” The siblings “stumbled” into playing together in Mama Kin. Michael was filling in for another musician and Caruana found his interpretation of her music strengthened it, a product of their shared “knowledge and language around music. [Since then,] the band’s grown around us.”
Caruana’s focus isn’t merely upon family. She is strongly invested in fostering a broader sense of community through her philanthropic endeavours. Caruana and Butler spearhead The Seed Fund, a grants foundation which “came from a philosophy of wanting to support up and coming and emerging artists, so there would be more viable Australian music and art created for Australian audiences. It’s a way to identify ourselves with what it means to be Australian.”
The kind of support offered by The Seed Fund can be critical in encouraging potential artists to commit to engaging with their art, a risk that Caruana recognises as requiring honesty and bravery. Prior to commencing work on her debut album Beat and Holler, Caruana grappled with a fear of failure, overcoming a “toxic” mentality in order to create. This can be attributed to Caruana’s process which relies upon openness; accepting vulnerability is the first step to writing her music. “The way I write and explore is the same way I have a conversation with my friends. My art is an extension of my desire to make sense of things.” Most importantly, Caruana is motivated by a desire to connect to people, deeply and without shame. She argues that wellbeing is compromised by “the fallacy, the perception that we are alone in our experiences, that they are only our own. I think there are many common experiences in life; and the idea that there is a level of shame in our experiences, and secrecy in how we process them, is why we feel so isolated as human beings.”
Caruana aims to remove that sense of shame, trying instead to provide the “resonance” that comes from having a similar experience to draw upon in response to someone else’s. She refers to “alchemy” as causing the realisation that you are not as alone as you thought; “‘alchemy’ and ‘connection’” are what she elected as the foundation for The Magician’s Daughter. For Caruana, music acts as a salve for the soul, due to the “transportive and transformative” effect she describes it as having upon her.
Listening to The Magician’s Daughter, the transcendent potential music is on full display. The album is a svelte ten tracks, and Mama Kin imbues each with richness. Cuarana’s haunting vocal gifts are utilised to their greatest extent for an immersive aural experience. Her beautiful vocal range pairs with a soothing backing track in ‘Rescue’ and ‘The Bosom of Our Bed’, while the more aggressive ‘Was It Worth It’ takes advantage of jazzier instrumentals. ‘Give Me A Reason’ is a poppy yet doleful lover’s lament, Cuarana managing to sound both wistful and whimsical. ‘The River As She Runs’ and ‘Cherokee Boy’ are almost morose but never self-indulgent, instead remaining gently melancholy. ‘I’ll Be Ready’ is the perfect note to finish the album on, an uplifting and hopeful paean to connection. The Magician’s Daughter is a lovely album, one where each song feels as though its author is trying to reach out and share something—anything—with the world. It succeeds.
By Alix Foley
